SouthLake Christian (Huntersville, N.C.) Academy four-star running back Robert Washington has named Syracuse, North Carolina and TCU to his top-six schools thus far and plans to announce his verbal commitment in April, his father, Robert Washington Sr. said in a phone interview on Tuesday night.

"DeAndre (Smith) is a good running backs coach and he was able to explain how Syracuse would use Robert," said Washington Sr., who is also the assistant head coach at SouthLake Christian. "We're getting very close with Syracuse."

The 5-foot-11, 215-pound Washington is ranked the No. 16 running back in the country by 247Sports.com after a junior season in which he rushed for 2,233 yards and 27 touchdowns, according to MaxPreps.com, and led SouthLake Christian to its second straight N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association Division II state championship. Washington also caught 12 passes for 202 yards and three additional scores.

As a sophomore, Washington ran for 2,512 yards and 28 touchdowns as the leading second-year rusher in the nation, according to MaxPreps.com.

Washington has been offered by 44 schools and counting, including Alabama, Ohio State, Penn State, Florida, Notre Dame, Michigan and Ole Miss. The Crimson Tide was the latest program to offer Washington a scholarship when head coach Nick Saban called Washington on Tuesday and spoke with him for 30 minutes, Washington Sr. said.

Washington Sr. called Alabama "the mecca for running backs" and said Saban told his son that he reminded him of powerful Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch.

Washington pushed back his commitment plans from March to April to allow more time to visit schools, Washington Sr. said, and a trip to Tuscaloosa, Ala., is in the works. Washington also plans to visit North Carolina before deciding, but not Syracuse, his father said.

Washington Sr. emphasized that the lack of a second visit to SU shouldn't be viewed as a slight; his son just saw everything he needed to see when he came up with his family in the fall. Washington wants to visit all the programs he's seriously considering before making a decision.

Washington's eventual commitment won't be made official until he signs a national letter of intent.